


Trust Me, Darling

by Drewzer7717



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alcohol, Co-workers, Dramione Duet Exchange, Drinking, Drinking Games, F/M, Fluff, Mutual Pining, Sharing a Bed, Song: Bad Liar (Imagine Dragons), they are both dumb cuties who secretly love each other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-15
Updated: 2019-11-15
Packaged: 2021-01-31 01:41:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21438103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Drewzer7717/pseuds/Drewzer7717
Summary: Hermione and Draco are work partners who have been assigned to bring in a new financial donor. The donor insists on conducting business at a party thrown in her honor. They both have a little too much to drink and can't apparate home, bed sharing ensues.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy
Comments: 5
Kudos: 52
Collections: Round 11 2019





	Trust Me, Darling

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! So this is my first fic that I've ever posted. I have read and loved the Dramione Duet fic fest for years and I decided to just give it a go myself this year!
> 
> I had a ton of fun writing this and I loved my prompts. Two of my three prompts were: work partners with one bed on assignment, and the song Bad Liar by Imagine Dragons. This is mostly about work partners... with some Bad Liar easter eggs thrown in here and there. I hope you enjoy!
> 
> P.S. See notes at the end for a description of the rules of the game they play!

Hermione stares into the depths of her martini glass and wonders how the hell she had gotten here. 

She and Draco Malfoy had been tasked with attempting to woo a new potential donor for their current legislative cause. Said donor had decided that the only way she would conduct a business meeting with them was at the extravagant fall-themed party thrown in her honor. Pansy Parkinson was never one to miss a party opportunity.

They had been instructed by Kingsley to get “dolled up” and act as if they were at the party as a couple so that the other guests wouldn’t know they were there on business, Pansy’s orders.

Hermione had no idea how any of that was relevant to the meeting at hand and had been more than slightly annoyed since Kingsley had assigned them. 

Draco, however, seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the fact that she was expected to pretend to be his date. He kept offering his arm in an overtly enthusiastic gesture and calling her ‘darling’ every chance he got. 

She knew that he was teasing her, but each time her heart rate spiked and she could feel herself blushing. Her very secret crush on her partner was supposed to remain very secret. She had come to the realization that she was developing real feelings for him about a month after he had been assigned as her partner. They had been working on the house-elf legislation case together hours after the office had closed on the night before a big meeting. She had remained behind after he left insisting she only needed to finish one more thing and then she would go home. They both knew that she would actually be there at least three more hours, but he left her to it. 

The following morning, she arrived fifteen minutes later than she usually did and discovered a steaming cup of coffee and a croissant on her desk. A note sticking out from the sleeve of the coffee cup said simply "Thought this might help -DM". She had been stunned. Hermione had always thought he was stupidly gorgeous. She had begrudgingly admitted it to herself all the way back at Hogwarts. But that tiny thoughtful act had stopped her in her tracks that morning. He had so obviously changed from the snotty, stuck up boy at school. Rationally, she had already known that, but she had also been too busy to notice her growing affection for him. She’d spent the rest of the year falling for him, and trying (but failing) to bury those feelings.

That is how she found herself standing outside in Pansy’s garden trying to gather herself by staring into her martini glass. 

The party is stunning. There are pumpkins everywhere, as well as piles of fall leaves enchanted to flow around the room as if a fall breeze blew them and they have a warm, luminescent glow. Outside there are white Christmas lights hung on every surface, even some suspended in the air. It gives the effect of strolling through the stars. It is truly wonderful.

She sits down on a bench with a huff. 

"Need a refill, darling? I don't think even you could conjure more just by staring at it." Draco smirks.

"Oh, um. Sure. That would be very nice. Thank you." She replies in a sweet but teasing tone, attempting to mimic his own. 

Hermione watches him walk over to the bar and appreciates the view for what feels like the hundredth time that night. His suit fits him immaculately. It’s easy to assume his build underneath is lean but strong. His hair is so artfully tousled, one might almost think he hadn’t styled it at all. He looks positively delicious. 

Pull it together. The last thing she needs is him finding out that her deepest desire is to snog him senseless.

He saunters back to her with two full martini glasses and sits down next to her. 

"So tell me darling, how come I have to keep hunting you down to spend time with you?"

Hermione chokes on her martini. "I have no idea what you’re talking about Malfoy. I am just enjoying the party."

"Hmm. Well seeing as we have surely gotten as much out of Pansy tonight as possible, we are welcome to leave whenever it is convenient."

She nods to him. The thought of leaving now is both comforting and heart breaking. It feels like once they leave this enchanted fall wonderland, he’ll stop calling her darling and her night of being with Draco will end. She looks at him and makes a split decision. "We could stay for another drink or two? And maybe a dance?"

Draco’s eyes widen. "Of course. I would like that." He replies, tone much more serious and soft and she feels her heart stutter. 

* * *

Two more martinis and one shot of tequila later and they are both stumbling into the hotel lobby. They had arrived to the party by portkey and they were both too tipsy to manage apparition at the moment. At Pansy’s suggestion, they had decided to utilize the hotel down the street that Pansy had arranged for her guests. 

"Hello, good lady! We require accommodation for the evening!" Malfoy announces to the room at large.

The pretty blonde hotel clerk rolls her eyes as she begins the check in process. 

Ten minutes later they make it down the hall and fumble for the room key. As the door swings open they wander in and both stop dead in their tracks. One bed. There is only one bed in this room. They were so distracted laughing at each other while checking in that neither of them thought to ask for two beds. Or even two rooms for that matter. 

After a few minutes of stunned silence, Draco clears his throat. "I'll go ask about another room."

He starts moving towards the door when she half shouts "No, wait!" He pauses and turns to her so slowly it’s like she’s watching one of those terribly dramatic muggle soap operas. The expression on his face is unreadable as he stares at her. Damn those martinis. "I just mean, it'd be such a hassle to go down and bug her again when we are already here. It's just one night, right? I don't mind sharing if you don't."

What had she just done. Seconds pass as if they were minutes and Draco is still staring at her like she has grown another head. She feels the blush rising to her cheeks and immediately starts thinking of ways to get out of this situation and explain away her bout of insanity when he interrupts her thoughts by saying "I don't."

"What?"

"I don't mind."

"Oh. Okay. Wonderful. I'm just going to get ready for bed then." She stammers out and quickly turns towards the bathroom without looking up at him again.

* * *

Draco Malfoy is fucked. Completely and utterly fucked. 

He is sitting on the king-sized bed that he just agreed to share with the woman he has been in love with for the past decade. Who, by the way, has no idea of his feelings. 

Growing up, he knew there was something about Hermione that was different than anyone else. Under the influences of his prejudiced family and housemates in Slytherin, he thought it was just because she was beneath him. It frustrated him to no end that she consistently beat him in every single subject. It was around fifth year that he realized that not only did he want to beat her in charms class but he also wanted to push her up against his desk and snog her until she couldn't see straight anymore. 

After that revelation, he slowly stopped resenting her brilliance and started admiring it instead. He didn't acknowledge to himself that he was in love with her until he began working at the law firm with her. They were assigned as partners early on and she never, not once, treated him as anything less than an equal work partner and a decent person. She was one of the very few who seemed to have forgiven him. It took less than a week for him to realize that his crush on her was a bit more than that now. 

That was a year ago. At the party tonight, she had looked radiant. The entire room was lit in a comforting orange glow from the leaves and the lights and the pumpkins, it was all spectacular… But he couldn’t take his eyes off her. She looked golden.

He had tried to be silly with her, calling her darling and treating her like a date. He knew it made her a little flustered and he liked having an effect on her. Occasionally she would blush prettily and glance at his lips, which had sent his mind reeling. By the end of the night he had convinced himself that he was imagining all that due to the alcohol. But. Here he was, sitting on the bed he was about to share with that gorgeous woman. And he was so. Fucked. 

* * *

Hermione transfigures her dress into a more comfortable sleeping gown and takes down her elaborately styled up-do. She casts a couple of quick hygiene spells to clean and floss her teeth and wash her face. 

As she stares back at her reflection she can't help but wonder what’s happening here. She hadn't meant to stop him from checking on another room, but when he turned away from her all she could think was that she didn't want to break the spell of how wonderful the night had already been. When he said that he didn't mind sharing, her already tipsy brain practically short circuited.

She had never truly thought that he would be interested in her given their past. But a tiny flutter in her stomach was lighting a flame of hope in her heart. 

With one last look at her reflection and a deep breath, she opens the bathroom door and steps back out into the room. 

His breath hitches.

"Do you need to prepare for bed too?" She half whispers. Clearing her throat, she adds in what she hopes is a much louder voice, "I mean, I am all done in there. So." Despite the false bravado she attempts, the words fade back to barely a breath as she finishes. Finally chancing a glance in his direction, she notices that his neck and ears look pink. 

At her glance, he seems to snap out of something and awkwardly mutters "Right, yeah. Ok." And rushes into the restroom.

After the door shuts, Hermione decides to just get into bed. Convincing herself that if she is still standing there in that same spot when he comes back it’ll be unbearably awkward. 

She settles into her pillows and tries not to think about the fact that she is eminently sharing a bed with a man. A man she works with. A handsome, thoughtful, brilliant man. She'll never make it through the night, she thinks with a groan.

* * *

Draco splashes water on his face as soon as he shuts the door. She is trying to kill him. He is certain. She came out of that bathroom with her stunning brown curls let down over her shoulders and she was wearing an emerald green silk nightgown that hugged her body perfectly. He genuinely felt like he was going to pass out looking at her. It had probably been way too long after she had spoken to him that he realized she had asked if he needed to get ready for bed. He said yes and got out of there, but the image of her in that nightgown would be forever engrained in his mind.

He decides to transfigure his suit as well since she seems unbothered changing into something more comfortable. His fitted black pants become loose joggers and his button-up becomes a simple black t-shirt. 

She’d seemed flustered when she came out of the restroom. Her playfulness from the party had evaporated and a shy almost hesitant girl had appeared. 

His heart had essentially stopped when she called out for him to wait and not go get a second room. Then she’d clarified by stating that she didn't mind sharing a bed and he wondered if maybe he had been in some sort of accident and his brain was projecting this perfect day to his comatose self. He had no idea what was going on but he didn't want to break this magical, fragile evening. 

With more confidence in his stride than he feels, he steps back into the hotel room. 

* * *

Hermione still can’t get ahold of her nerves so she summons a book from her bag and begins reading while Draco is getting ready for bed. Outside the hotel window a lamp is flickering on and off randomly. Hermione frowns as she notices its irregular flashing, annoyed that it distracts her from her reading. She hears movement and looks over to see Draco looking as sexy as she’s ever seen him. His sweat pants hang just right on his hips and he looks so soft and cozy. She wants to bury herself into him. 

"Hi.” He smiles.

"Hi." She echoes. He gives her a small sweet smile as he notices her book.

"I didn't know you brought a book with you."

She chuckles. "Of course I did. I am Hermione Granger: bookworm extraordinaire after all."

He frowns slightly at the self-deprecating tone she uses.

"What are you reading?" He seems genuinely curious. 

"Actually I'm re-reading this one. I usually carry three books with me everywhere I go: two books I’ve never read, one fiction and one non-fiction, and a book I know I love.”

She notices a strange look in his eyes that she can’t identify but makes the blush rise on her cheeks.

"So I guess it’s about time for bed... do you mind if I...?" He gestures to the other side of the bed she is not occupying.

"Of course!" 

He walks over to the bed and pulls back the covers. He settles in and she can hear him take a deep breath and exhale shakily.

"Are you sure you’re ok with this? I don't want to make you uncomfortable." She asks.

"Honestly, I’m a little nervous just because I don’t want you to be uncomfortable. But I am ok with it. You would know if I wasn't. You always seem to know whenever I am lying." he chuckles and runs a hand through his hair, his nervous habit.

"Well that’s just because you're such a bad liar." She teases, nudging him with her elbow. "Hey, I have an idea!"

"What's that?"

"Let's play a game to make us feel more comfortable." 

"What kind of game?"

"How about truth or dare? Or we could play this silly muggle drinking game called ‘Never Have I Ever.’" 

Draco looks contemplative for a moment. "Well, I don't fancy getting up for any dares right now but just playing truth or truth seems stupid. How does the muggle game work?"

She explains the rules to Draco of the simple drinking game she had learned from her childhood best friend a couple of years ago when she was in college. 

"What if we combined the two games?" He asks.

"How so?"

"Since we don't have any more alcohol, which is probably a good thing now that I think about it, we can play ‘Never Have I Ever’ the normal way, but when you HAVE done something - you have to give a story if necessary and then whoever loses the round gets asked a truth question."

"I like that! Let's do it." She says with excitement and sets her book down on the bedside table. 

They both settle down further into the covers and Hermione turns on her side so she can look at him better. She tells herself that it is purely because they are playing a game and not because she just wants an excuse to look at him. They both hold up three fingers to keep score. 

"Ladies first." He smirks. 

"Hmm. Ok. Never have I ever been punched in the face." She says as casually as possible.

"We are playing that way, huh?" He says with a smirk on his perfect mouth. She just giggles and nods. He puts one of his three fingers down and begins his turn. "Remember that you are the one who started this! Never have I ever robbed a bank."

"Hey!" She gasps. "Fine. I guess we really are playing the game that way." She laughs at his smug expression.

Draco moves to mirror Hermione's position facing her, and as he does he notices the lamp flickering. "Has that been happening this whole time?" He asks her.

"As far as I know, yes. It's a bit annoying, isn't it?"

Draco just hums in agreement, clearly thinking about something. Hermione decides to snap him out of it in favor of her next turn. "Alright, never have I ever played in a quidditch match." Draco puts another finger down with a grin.

"Never have I ever kissed a Weasley." Hermione puts her second finger down, shaking her head at his smug look.

"Never have I ever fooled around at Hogwarts." She counters.

"Clarify." He states.

"Anything past snogging." She answers with a shrug. Draco grins at her in such a devilish way that she curses the heat rising to her neck. 

"Your turn." Draco tells her without putting his last finger down. 

"What? There is no way you didn't fool around at school! Your reputation..."

"Was all fabricated." He interrupts.

"Really?"

"Yes. By the time I was interested in anything of the sort I was both already falling down the oppressive hole of trying to impress my father, and I only had interest in one witch anyway. And she would have never given me the time of day." Draco finishes. He is looking at her with an intensity she can’t process, so she drops her gaze to her hands. 

"I really thought I had you there." She mumbles out. Taking a deep breath, she adds "Your turn, Draco." She looks back at him and he is still staring intently at her. She catches another flash of emotion in his eyes that she can’t identify. 

Still looking at her he smirks, "Never have I ever used a time turner." 

She gulps as she lowers her third and final finger and nervously says, "You win. You get to ask a truth question."

"And you’ll answer honestly, right?"

"Yes. That was the agreement."

He takes another deep breath. "What do you think about me?" 

The room feels as if it has been immobilized apart from the flickering of the street lamp outside. 

“What?” She breathes.

“Look me in the eye, and tell me what you see. Please?”

Hermione considers her options. She did say she would answer honestly and she has never enjoyed lying. But she could be vague and lighthearted… or she could just tell him the truth. The night’s earlier martinis make her feel brave. Here goes nothing.

"I think you are one of the smartest people I have ever known. I think your mind is incredible and I am always impressed by the way you think and the ideas you present. I feel truly lucky to have gotten you as a work partner, not only because you are such a hard worker and I never feel alone when we are working on something, but because it has given me a chance to know you as an adult after everything that happened when we were younger. I think you are kind and generous. I think you hide that last fact well behind a wall of sarcasm that a lot of people can't see through. I think you are very protective of the people you care about, which I love. I think you are stupidly handsome." At that comment Draco lets out a breath he seems to have been holding in and Hermione looks up at him. Feeling the embarrassment start sinking in, she takes a breath to begin again but Draco reaches out and takes her hand. Her eyes snap back up to his. 

Squeezing her hand Draco says, "Thank you. That all means more to me than you will ever know.” That same emotion from earlier dances in his eyes. He looks over to the window where the flickering light is and sees that it is dark and seems to have stopped. He smiles. “I know it isn’t what we were playing, but I think we should make a bet on that light.”

Trying to control her fluttering heart, she breathes back, "What do you want to bet?"

His smile comes in full force as he says, "I’ll bet you it comes back on. For the stakes… how about a kiss?"

Hermione’s jaw drops open. She can't have heard that correctly. She's hallucinating. She's dreaming. She's in a coma and all of this is in her imagination like that one movie... called… ugh. She can't even call up any random facts right now. Just then, the lamp flickers back on. She looks back to Draco and he is watching her. He looks nervous, but still hopeful. Slowly, she just nods.

Draco beams at her and she feels like she is looking at the sun. He leans forward, with one hand still holding hers, he places his other gently on the back of her neck, his thumb tracing her cheekbone with the lightest of touches. He stops with his face just inches from hers, waiting for her to close the distance, leaving the ball in her court. She leans in and their lips meet for the first time. The kiss is soft and sweet and she feels a spark of magic on her lips when she pulls back.

"I have wanted to do that since I was fifteen." He confesses.

"I can't believe this is happening." She admits to him.

A look of panic crosses his features. "Why not?"

"I can’t believe I am telling you this but, I’ve liked you basically since the day you became my partner. This feels so surreal. It is real right; I'm not asleep am I?" she chuckles. 

"Hermione." Draco says her name with such sincerity that a shiver runs down her spine. "I have had a crush on you and admired your brilliance and beauty for ten years. I think I've even begun to fall for you. I know it seems from the outside like I have this perfect life, with everything happening for me just because there is money sitting in the Malfoy vault, but I've always felt like I was tearing at the seams from that life. Until I found you. Working with you, and becoming friends with you has been the best thing that has ever happened to me. I have wanted to find a way to make your heart believe that I am not who I was and that I could be someone good for you, but I never thought someone so incredible would..." she cuts his rambling off with another kiss.

Pulling back to smile at him, she asks, "Draco, would you like to get breakfast with me tomorrow morning?"

"Uh. Ok, sure." He responds, clearly confused with the abrupt change in conversation.

"Draco."

"Yes?"

"I meant as a date."

His eyes meet hers again and he is smiling like she's given him everything he'll ever want and she can't help but lean in and kiss him again.

* * *

Draco wakes up the following morning with his arm draped over Hermione’s waist. She is tucked into his chest and sleeping soundly. He can barely believe that last night happened. They has stayed up for another couple of hours talking and kissing, it was amazing. He never imagined that she would feel the same way about him. But now that he knew, he was going to do everything in his power to love and care for this wonderful woman for as long as she would have him. She stirs and rolls over with a sleepy sound.

"Morning beautiful." He whispers and her face lights up. She opens her eyes and he pulls her closer for a kiss. 

"Morning, my darling." She replies with a sweet smile. 

His heart bursts at her words. Draco Malfoy has Hermione Granger in bed with him, calling him hers, and he is so ridiculously gone for her. She kisses him lazily and suggests they get breakfast in bed instead of going out because she wants to stay in his arms and he wonders idly how early is too early to start looking at engagement rings.

**Author's Note:**

> Never Have I Ever Rules:
> 
> Usually a drinking game where everyone holds up 3-5 fingers at the start to keep score.
> 
> Often played in a group, but two players also works.
> 
> Each person has a turn saying something they have never done, in an attempt to get the other player(s) out. (i.e. never have I ever gone skinny dipping) (and it HAS to actually be something the person has never done).
> 
> If the other player(s) HAVE done the stated thing, they have to put down one of their fingers, losing a point. If they HAVEN'T done the stated thing, they get to continue on without losing any points.
> 
> First person to put down all of their fingers, loses... and in the drinking version of the game, has to drink.


End file.
